Beer-Battered Onion Rings

By MelanieAnn

Tasters preferred the gentle flavor of sweet onions to any other kind for our Beer-Battered Onion Rings. After testing many different batters, we settled on a beer, flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, and cornstarch batter. The beer gave the coating flavor, and the carbonation also provided lift to the batter. Baking powder yielded a coating that was thick and substantial, yet light, while cornstarch added crunch to the coating. Before frying our Beer-Battered Onion Rings, we soaked the onions in a mixture of beer, malt vinegar, and salt to soften them and build flavor.

Ingredients

• 22 sweet onions, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 3cups3 cups beer
• 2teaspoons2 teaspoons malt vinegar (see note)
• Salt and pepper
• 2quarts2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
• 3/4cup3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4cups3/4 cups cornstarch
• 1teaspoon1 teaspoon baking powder

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. SOAK ONIONS Place onion rounds, 2 cups beer, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in zipper-lock bag; refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.


2. MAKE BATTER Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. While oil is heating, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Slowly whisk in ¾ cup beer until just combined (some lumps will remain). Whisk in remaining beer as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until batter falls from whisk in steady stream and leaves faint trail across surface of batter.


3. FRY RINGS Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Remove onions from refrigerator and pour off liquid. Pat onion rounds dry with paper towels and separate into rings. Transfer one-third portion of rings to batter. One at a time, carefully transfer battered rings to oil. Fry until rings are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through frying. Drain rings on paper towel-lined baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to oven. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining onion rings and batter. Serve.